Project Runaway
by Angeli-Ii-Demoni
Summary: After failing my exams, I suddenly find myself friendless and alone. When I go to my usual spot, I find myself falling into the river and waking up somewhere I never thought existed. Self insert and -possibly- SelfxJade
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Watch what you wish for….

"Yes, Chief, I understand," I replied, suppressing a sigh. The last thing I needed was to appear angry when I was getting reamed by my boss. "I'll pass it next time, I promise." I kept my gaze straight ahead, not daring to look him in the face. Chief Reyes was usually a nice guy, but, after failing the advancement exam three times in a row, all in the same area, he was not a happy camper. Especially since he had personally tutored me.

"You better," he finished with a sigh. "Sit down." I obeyed instantly. When Reyes gets like this, there's never a request. Only an order. "I just don't get it, Blake. How do you fail the same portion of the exact same test three times in a row?" I couldn't hold it in anymore. I finally let loose the sigh that I'd been holding the entire.

"Honestly, Chief, it's because I start freaking out when I get to that part," I answered, lowering my head to stare at the ground. "I just can't handle the concept of being a leader. It scares me, honestly. As it is, I don't like having this job. I know you hear these sorts of things all the time, but I really didn't know what I signed up for when I signed that contract. I didn't realize so many lives would be depending on my job." I sighed again. Why couldn't I have just gone to college like every other high school graduate? Instead, I had to play hero and prove I was stronger than I thought.

"Dammit, Blake," Reyes turned away from me with a sigh. I knew I was a disappointment. He'd taken me under his wing, taught me all the tricks of the trade, and I still couldn't pass a simple third class advancement exam. "You didn't think to get out before you finished school? Didn't it occur to you that you should try to get out of there before you're stuck in the contract?" It took me a long time to finally speak.

"I didn't want to be like all those people trying to get out of the Navy, Chief," I answered hesitantly. "I didn't want the people who believed in me to see me that way, as a quitter." I could see the responses I would get. Most likely that I was already letting them down by simply having this conversation, by not forcing myself to just grit my teeth and get the job done. But the thought of going to war and being the one that innocent lives depended on for protection was just too much for me.

"You realize there's nothing I can really do for you, right?" I nodded. "Just stay out of trouble and you'll be all right. No one says you have to advance if you want out. It helps things onboard a ship, but it's not something you have to strive for." Reyes turned to face me and I couldn't help but raise my eyes to meet his. His eyes held all the hardness expected of a chief and the kindness of the father I hadn't been raised with. "I really hoped you would tough it out, Blake. We need more honest sailors like you." Another sigh escaped my lips.

"So had I, Chief," I whispered, biting back the tears I knew would drop the moment I stepped out of that office. I really had wished I was stronger than that. I wanted nothing more than to be strong enough to defend the lives of the people I worked with. They had quickly become the family I had always wanted. Dysfunctional at all times, but people that genuinely cared.

"That's all, Blake," Reyes finally said, turning his back to me once more. "I'll see you at quarters tomorrow." I stood and headed for the door. Somehow, turning the knob was harder leaving than it was going in. I knew that leaving things the way they were meant that I had lost not trust, but faith. The faith Reyes had once had in me was now gone. Yet saying something was out of the question. What could I say? It was far too late for apologies. All I could do was step out that door and not look back.

"You all right?" I hadn't even realized I had walked out of the building until I heard his voice. The only friend I had on this base, Jackie. We'd known each other since we started school and somehow managed to end up on the same base as each other for our entire career of about a year. Somehow it seemed wrong to address each other by last names anymore. And it was impossible to keep secrets.

"Reyes just chewed me out for the whole advancement exam thing," I explained sullenly. Jackie's expression softened and she gave me a gentle hug. "It's not even that I failed," I explained, finally letting loose all the emotions I had to keep bottled up in the office. I explained everything to her without holding back. I told her exactly what happened in there, why I felt like I had just lost the entire world, and how – and why – I didn't think I could deal with being in the military with the job I had.

When I finally looked back at her, I expected to see some sort of sympathy. Instead, it was that same look Reyes had in his eyes. Disappointment. I should have known. To people like them, I was the reason it was hard to work with people in the navy. I was the reason there wasn't enough pride in our job. I was the reason for the problems we all faced every day. What made it worse was that I knew it was true. I was the problem.

Without a word, I left her standing there. I didn't even bother telling her where I'd be. It's not like she'd go looking for me. Not unless I didn't turn up for the morning muster, which I would. I just needed some time alone.

After what felt like an eternity in minutes, I was at my usual thinking spot. It's a small river just outside base. I usually stop there to watch the sunset after walking to the grocery store or McDonalds. It's out of the way, but I love being there. Somehow, being close to the water and nature itself helped relax me when I'm stressed about something. Though I know I'm not supposed to, I climbed over the railing and sat on the edge of the bridge, gazing out at the gentle scene before me. If only I had kept my mouth shut. Sometimes, I seriously wished I could just have another chance. Just start over. Without the family baggage. I love my family, but sometimes I wished I could've been born into a family with less financial and emotional problems. Maybe then I wouldn't have signed my life away.

Before I knew what was happening, a truck, a semi, actually, came up behind me and honked its horn loudly. Without thinking, I instantly jumped forward, falling face first into the river. It seems odd now that I think about it. The first thing I started to worry about was getting my uniform wet. Or, rather, the white blouse that was sure to get stained from the water. Little did I know, I was going to be somewhere I wouldn't need my uniform when I woke up.

Strangely enough, when I awoke, it was nowhere near the base. I didn't even recognize the city I was in. It certainly wasn't somewhere I had been before. It looked almost like something out of a fairy tale with its cobblestone roads and crystal clear fountains every ten feet. And it seemed as though every single person there was blonde. Had I died and gone to hell? If so, Satan had really lost his touch. I mean, how could Hell look like it was decorated by a video game designer? Namely, the designers of the first few Final Fantasy games.

The first thing that I thought of doing was exploring. I was free until the next morning, so I figured a little exploring would do me some good. After all, I would probably stumble across some street signs and the name of the city I was now apparently in. Forget how I got here. I just wanted to know where I was, if there was anything interesting, and how to – eventually – get back.

However, to my dismay, the first few signs I saw didn't help much. First, they were in a foreign language I had never seen before. Second, they were posted in front of what I assumed to be local shops. It then occurred to me how odd it was that I would fall into a river and then suddenly wake up in a foreign country, not know how I got there, and not know a single person around me. Parking my not-so-happy derriere on a nearby bench, I started to work through what had happened. How had I got from the base to some strange country I didn't know and why was it that no one even recognized me as being in the military?

Just then, my brain seemed to burn, as if someone had reached inside my skull and lit a small brush fire. I felt myself reach up impulsively to grab my forehead. As quickly as this pain had come, though, it was gone, leaving me lightheaded and a subject of concern for passing citizens. One of whom was being followed around by several men in clanking armor.

Wait a minute. Armor? I looked up and saw a pair of ruby eyes hidden behind thinly framed glasses gazing at me, halted, and at least a couple yards away. Initially, I thought they were amazingly realistic contacts, not at all that fake sort of red that didn't even have the texture of a human iris. Then, I pieced it all together. This man had long brown hair and a light blue uniform completed by a Pac-Man shaped belt.

The man who was staring at me was none other than Jade Curtiss and this city that I had mysteriously arrived in was none other than Grand Chokmah.

Well, now the only question I could think of was why he was staring at me. I could do nothing than gaze in shock as he dismissed the guards walking with him. I had a feeling I was about to get my question answered. Either that or I was in for a world of verbal torture. With a laugh under my breath, I realized I was most likely going to receive both.


	2. Chapter 2

"Is something funny?" Jade asked, a smile that any stranger would have readily accepted as charming creeping upon his face. As I, on the other hand, knew better than a stranger, I was already on guard. Jade Curtiss was notorious for hiding ulterior motives with a smile and innocent question. I was not going to fall into his trap.

"Actually, there is," I answered, allowing myself to fall into the character I played when speaking with officers, particularly the upper ranks. After all, one could never behave the way they normally did in front of those of a higher rank than you. An innocent, smiling mask with a gentle voice covered a normally plain-spoken, emotional face. I was ready. "I was thinking about how ironic it would be for me to pass out in the middle of the street when such a high-ranking officer was passing through." I watched then for the change in his mask. Mild confusion. I expected as much.

"And how would such a situation be considered ironic?" I pulled out a slightly more mischievous smile. More confusion. Only one who knew Jade's mentality could find such pleasure in extracting these reactions. I admit, he was my favorite character in the game. Mainly because his jokes were so morbid that the rest of the group either didn't catch on or didn't have the stomach to laugh. I pride myself on having both.

"Sir, are you not the one that the also refer to as a doctor? How would it not be ironic to pass out when one known as a doctor is conveniently passing by?" I asked, innocence seeping from every last word. I knew the game. I'd controlled the game from the convenience of my living room. Now, though I was living the game, I could easily control it once more. As I expected, Jade's reaction relaxed slightly. He seemed to be at ease, as well, as though my knowledge of the world I was in erased most concerns he had about my uniform.

"Well, that's one of many titles I've apparently gathered," he admitted, never losing the confidence that made him such an enigma. It had taken me so long to learn how to do what seemed to come naturally to him. How on earth could someone have that kind of control? Admittedly, I was jealous. "Though, I am hardly a doctor. Besides," he added with a hidden smirk, "wouldn't you seek a Seventh Fonist for problems with your health?" Shit. I forgot about that. I felt my smile slip a little and knew he was gaining the upper hand in this battle of masks.

"I've had bad experiences with the Seventh Fonon," I lied, allowing my smile to falter slightly. I silently thanked my high school drama teacher for all the experience with improvisation she had given me. "Though I'm musically inclined, the Seventh tends to fade before I can properly shape it." I smiled, this time genuine. "I tend to stick to playing instruments rather than singing, just to avoid the confusion." Jade nodded, as though he understood exactly what I meant. Well, of course he did. Subconsciously, I looked directly into his eyes and could swear I saw the thoughts of Nebilim passing through his mind. He had attempted to use the Seventh Fonon and, instead of cooperating, the thousands of fonons he summoned left his body at once, causing a massive explosion and took the life of the professor in the process.

In a matter of seconds, the look in those crimson pools shifted from thoughts of his lost mentor to confusion. Mine followed suit on impulse, though it was for a different reason. I lost the train of thought Jade was following. With a sigh, I shook my head and smiled up at him, standing to leave. I was getting a bit tired of keeping up the façade.

"I-I should be going. I have people waiting on me on the other side of town," I explained, hoping to avoid conflict. I knew I stood a slim chance of actually escaping this unscathed. Still, it was worth a try.  
"Oh?" Jade sounded surprised. I took that to mean he had something. Something I did not want to see, from the sound of it. "Shall I escort you?" A smirk. "I wouldn't want such a frail young woman to pass out on the side of the road." Shit. Shit, shit, shit! How the hell was I going to talk my way out of that one?

"Y-you really don't have to do that!" I stuttered, grasping at straws. My heart began to pound wildly as I saw the famous smile. He had won.

"You don't want your friends to meet me?" With a combination of feigned shock and indignation, Jade raised an eyebrow and I knew I had to come up with something, some sort of valid excuse to avoid having him accompany me to the friends I knew I didn't have here. Shit. Nothing. Nothing at all. I was so royally screwed. The resulting smirk on the face in front of me proved it. Well, if the game was over, I might as well drop the act.

"Nah, I was kinda lying about that," I admitted, eliciting another raised eyebrow from Jade. I knew he wasn't really that surprised. "See, I actually have no real reason to be here. Or to leave, for that matter." A shrug of the shoulders. "Well, aside from wanting to get away before I end up somehow more humiliated than I already am." The resulting grin on Jade's face I knew was genuine. Despite having been mocked in such an indirect way, I couldn't help but flush at how utterly attractive he looked when the emotions on his face were his own. Old man, my ass.

"You're implying that I humiliated you by showing concern for what appeared to me to be an ill young woman?" Oh, you clever devil, Jade. Feigning innocence while tormenting me and enjoying every second of it. You're lucky I'm a bit of a masochist and only pride is taking blows here.

"No," I answered, a true grin spreading across my face. I was starting to like Jade a lot more than I had when I initially played through Tales of the Abyss. I felt so in tune with not only myself, but Jade as well, that I was truly able to enjoy a conversation. "I meant that I had managed to humiliate myself by lying." Jade's grin expanded to almost Cheshire proportions. Apparently, he hadn't met someone who could fess up to their mistakes. Well, if there was one thing the Navy actually managed to instill in me, it was honesty when confronted with one's mistakes. "There's a significant difference between the two."

"Indeed," Jade agreed. As he opened his mouth to continue, the sound of clanking armor approached, nearing the two of us. Jade spun around and saw that it was the same group of guards that he had dismissed earlier. They saluted in unison, which Jade responded to, commanding them to report.

"Sir, His Majesty requests your presence before we depart," responded the captain. Puzzled, Jade looked to the guard for further explanation. "It's regarding the Fon Master." Ah. I knew what they were talking about. It had to be about the letter to Kimlasca. Of course, that meant that I wasn't to follow them back to the emperor's palace. After all, I was nothing more to them than a girl Jade had stopped to talk to momentarily.

"Very well. Inform His Majesty that I will be arriving shortly," he replied, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. That was my cue to excuse myself, before Jade had to ask me to leave.

"Well, I ought to let you go, then," I started to walk the opposite direction the guards had taken when Jade stopped me.

"Nonsense," he said with a smile. "I'd rather you come with me, if you don't mind." He reached behind him and pulled out what appeared to be handcuffs. "It's not really an option. However, I would rather you not have to wear these before His Majesty. He's not really fond of having criminals brought before him in chains."

"Criminal?" Turning back to face him, I could see this wasn't a joke. "What am I being charged with?"

"Unlawful immigration," Jade answered simply. Ah. I should have known. My uniform, while it looked nothing like the Kimlascan army, was still an unfamiliar military uniform. Not to mention, I had admitted that I lied to him about having friends in the area. Man, if only he knew just how many laws I felt I had broken in arriving to Grand Chokmah. He would probably lock me up in some lab for experimentation. A giggle escaped my lips.

"Is something funny?" he asked, mildly amused at my reaction. I shook my head, a smile replacing the giggle.

"Now that I think about it, no, there isn't," I admitted. I had no idea just how on earth I ended up on Auldrant. I definitely didn't know just how much time was passing back on Earth, so, for all I knew, I had been reported UA and could never go back. Not that I wanted to. "So, just what exactly do you plan to accomplish by bringing me forward like this?"

I don't know what I was expecting. Certainly not a straightforward answer, not from the master of deception. A riddle, something I could think about on the walk over, maybe. Or perhaps it was just to keep an awkward silence from settling in. Whatever it was I had thought he would say, Jade's response threw me for a loop. And then some.

"Absolutely nothing."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Absolutely something

"Nothing?" I didn't even bother to try to hide my amazement. Jade without a plan? I immediately dismissed the thought. There was no way for him to not have a plan. He always had a plan. Always. So, when Jade told me he had nothing in store for me, I knew he was either lying or had a convenient loophole waiting. Knowing him, it would be the latter.

In the time it took me to reach that conclusion, we had arrived at the palace. Or, rather, the front gate of the palace. Jade stopped suddenly and faced me, a somewhat playful smile gracing his features. Damn it, stop. It's no fair when you do that, Jade. I get all mushy inside and actually start seeing the real you. Which is very attractive, by the way.

"I'm sure you don't need me to explain this, but His Majesty is," Jade paused in search of an appropriate way to describe Peony. I smiled.

"He tends to ignore the 'rules' of upper class behavior, right?" I supplied, knowing full well that was what Jade was getting at. "Don't worry, I can handle this." I grinned. "Even if he doesn't follow the rules, I will. Or, at least pretend I am." Jade laughed, the first time I had heard it since I arrived. He took me by the hand and led me through the gates and directly into the audience chamber where I knew Peony would be waiting. What I hadn't expected, however, was to see nearly a full court.

Jade and I passed by hundreds of stares on our way to get within speaking distance of the emperor. Of course, with all the eyes following me, I was suddenly aware that I must look like some washed up maid or, worse, a crazy woman in men's clothes. I had made it a point to not buy the skirt that went with the dress blues simply because I hated being mistaken for a flight attendant whenever I transferred or went home on leave. Now I regretted not having it if only for the purpose of being able to look more feminine.

"Ah, Jade, there you are," a familiar voice called out, drawing me from my thoughts. Before us sat His Majesty, Emperor Peony Upala the Ninth. I couldn't help but grin at the sight of him. If he didn't talk, one would almost think he looked regal. Broad shoulders, a strong jaw, and kind eyes. All the things one generally would believe to be the traits of a strong and brilliant ruler. "I was hoping to see you before you left."

"So said the guards you sent back," Jade replied plainly, obviously not as thrilled to be seeing Peony before heading out to deliver the letter to Kimlasca. "Your Majesty, will all due respect, drawn out farewells will not get my mission accomplished any faster." Peony grinned, something I knew meant nothing short of more torture for Jade. I could stand to learn a thing or two from him.

"So, you were just going to run off without even saying goodbye to your best friend?" Peony questioned, pretending as though the idea hurt him physically and clutching his chest melodramatically. I suppressed a giggle at the sight. It was far more amusing to watch the two of them in real life than in a video game or cartoon. Of course, as soon as I made a sound, Peony turned his attention to me. "Oh, I get it. You were planning on leaving me for your new girlfriend." Woah, woah, woah. Hey now. Just because I found him attractive did not mean I was romantically involved with him. Jade seemed to share my indignation.

"Hardly, Your Majesty," Jade responded curtly. Almost too curtly. I swear the resulting grin on Peony's face could have lit the room if it wasn't already brightened by several thousand fonstones on the ceiling's chandelier.

"Ah. I get it now," Peony turned his attention to me once more. "You just haven't asked her yet." Jade and I sighed in unison, eliciting yet another excited grin from Peony. "I knew it!" This time, I stepped forward, my gaze straight at the emperor. Then, I kneeled and looked up at him.

"Your Majesty, I assure you there's nothing between myself and the Colonel," I began, choosing my words carefully. I knew that Peony wouldn't hurt me. Jade, on the other hand, was a completely different story. "He merely brought me forward to present to you as a criminal." The playful look in Peony's eyes were gone. A grave look, first directed at me, then Jade replaced it almost instantly.

"Jade, is she telling the truth?" Jade didn't respond. He merely smiled at the emperor, as if asking him to find out for himself. I found myself smiling down at the ground in front of me, just enough to avoid Peony seeing. "Under what charges did he bring you?" Here came the tough one. Technically, I had not broken any of the immigration laws of Malkuth, and, yet, I had not come to Grand Chokmah by any legal or physically possible means.

"Crossing into this country by means other than the proper legal methods, Your Majesty," I replied carefully. I was not going to say I had crossed the border between Kimlasca and Malkuth illegally, because I hadn't. Peony pondered my response for a while and I could hear whispers among the nobility, most of which, while hardly discernable from where I knelt, seemed to be condescending.

"For what purpose did you enter Malkuth?" Peony asked. "To find work?" A sinister look crossed his face. "Or much darker purposes?" I had forgotten that Peony could be serious when the situation called for it. Still, I had done nothing wrong and was convinced that nothing bad would happen.

"If that was my intention, Your Majesty, I honestly couldn't tell you," I admitted. The whispers of the court grew increasingly louder until silenced by Peony. "I have no memories of how I got here or even the reason why I came here." It was true, in a way. I had no idea how or why I came here, only that I was in Grand Chokmah and kneeling before a man I had once thought to be a fictional character.

"I see," Peony responded thoughtfully. "In that case, I think it would be wise to seek the help of a physician, not a jailer." Peony grinned. "Don't you think so, Jade?" Jade shrugged. "Ah, well, I'm no doctor, so I'm afraid I can't help much there. And as far as the illegal immigration thing goes, I can fix that. Come here." Wait, what? I looked to Jade, quite obviously confused, but he nodded. I rose and stepped closer to Peony. "Kneel." I did. "Do you swear allegiance to Malkuth and its sovereign, under penalty of death?" I got it. He was going to make me a Malkuth citizen.

"I do," I responded. Nothing he had said was something I could disagree with. Yet.

"And do you swear to uphold and abide by the laws set forth to govern Malkuth and its provinces so long as you shall live?" Peony recited, obviously not thrilled with the stiff wording of the ceremony.  
"I do."

"Finally, do you swear to defend this nation with your life, protecting its citizens and sovereign at all costs?" Peony questioned for the last time.

"I swear," I started unsteadily, "to defend His Majesty with my life and to protect those who cannot defend themselves without discrimination." Peony's face lit up at that. He rose and the entire room got down on one knee.

"Then, by the power of vested in me, as Emperor Peony Upala the Ninth, I declare thee a citizen of Malkuth and soldier of the Malkuth army. Please, rise," he finished, offering me his hand. I took it, uncertainly at first. "You're not the first to say that, you know," Peony said, loud enough that only the two of us heard. "And thank you. The only two people to ever say that particular bit at the end are both present." He looked pointedly at Jade and smiled. "I also have a favor of you, if you could spare a moment to speak to me in private." Peony eyed my clothing and smiled. "But first," he raised his voice, "Jade, why don't you take your new subordinate to get her very first uniform." I laughed under my breath. My first uniform, huh? Well, this wouldn't be the first, but it most certainly seemed to be the last.

"Very well, Your Majesty," Jade said, rising and motioning for me to follow him out of the audience chamber. Once we were far enough from the court, Jade pulled me aside and looked downright apologetic. "I have to apologize for this. I had thought he would be a bit more lenient with you. But, at least you're safe now. Once you change, I'll have you assigned to a comfortable job here in the capital."

"Er, about that," I started somewhat uncomfortably. "Umm, he asked me to speak with him in private after I get my uniform. He said something about having a favor to ask of me." Jade's calm expression suddenly turned dark. That scared me. Immensely. Jade knew the emperor better than anyone and would definitely know if that favor would likely be a bad thing. And, because I had played through several scenarios involving Peony, I knew it was going to be at least slightly humiliating and probably an extremely dangerous task hidden beneath a seemingly reasonable request.

Or maybe I was just imagining things.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Jade needs a babysitter?

After what felt like hours, I was finally out of my dress blues, which were discarded in a corner of Jade's office, probably to be packed away in whatever room I was to be moved into. After my chat session with Peony, of course. I had to admit, Malkuth's uniform fit me better than the working uniform I was issued in boot camp. Not only was it the proper size, but it breathed better. I didn't feel like I was sweating as soon as I put it on. Of course, when I looked in the mirror, I realized my uniform only barely looked like Jade's. Really, only the buttons and the weird fishtail thing looked the same.

Admittedly, I was self-conscious when I stepped out that door. The confidence that I normally displayed in uniform was gone. It finally seemed to have hit me that I was in a military I didn't know or understand. I wasn't sure of my rank, status, or even my job. It was like night of arrival at boot camp all over again. Only, instead of crabby petty officers who probably ran out of coffee bitching at me for asking questions, I had Jade. I almost wished I were back in Great Lakes.

Jade, however, didn't say a word to me. He just motioned for me to follow him back to the audience chamber and started walking ahead of me. I couldn't help but wonder if I had said something back there that made him upset, but, when I really thought about it, there was nothing I could have said or done to make him act like this. I followed without a word, trying to see if I remembered anything that would make Jade act like that, plot-wise. Before I could come up with a single good idea, however, I was standing in the now empty audience chamber with Emperor Peony wandering aimlessly near the throne, evidently waiting for me.

"Hey, there you are!" Peony exclaimed, turning his attention to me and Jade. Though, I had a funny feeling he was looking at me more than Jade, even though Jade was his best friend. Brilliant. "Man, am I glad that mess is over with. Jade, you really know how to crash a party. Bringing in a pretty girl and claiming she's a criminal." Peony, I will hurt you. Don't think I won't.

"I thought that was the whole point of this little charade," Jade replied nonchalantly and smiled mischievously. "It worked, didn't it?"

"As always," Peony grinned. "Sarcastic bastard, you really had me going there about that whole criminal thing." Wait. What? Ok, seriously Jade, you have to stop doing that. Plot twists really hurt my brain. Especially the ones I don't see coming.

"It was merely to make you more convincing to the rest of the court," Jade explained in such a superior tone it was hard to tell if he was mocking Peony. I almost laughed. These were the sorts of things Jade would do in the game that made me giggle at every turn. Ok, so I could handle the plot twists if it meant Jade was being, well, Jade and making me laugh.

"And you," Peony started. "Did you have to take that thing so seriously?" He sighed and I got the distinct feeling that, not only was the whole interrupting court to present a criminal a ruse, but that the ceremony had, in fact, been false as well. Well, shoot. Jade and Peony were far more clever than I had ever given them credit for in the game.

"You tell me," I answered, opting to let them reveal the whole plot to me instead of making assumptions. "All I know is someone," I pointed to Jade, "tells me I'm under arrest for unlawful immigration after some guys tell him you wanted to see him and then you start some sort of ceremony and I don't want to be called a liar later on, so I make sure to agree to only the things I actually agree with." I took a deep breath and sighed. "So there. My rant's over." Peony looked as though he was a mixture of confused and amused.

"Jade, I like her," he stated bluntly. "She's almost as bad as you." I laughed.

"Hardly," I replied. "Jade's got more of a mean streak than me." Peony started laughing at that.

"Your Majesty, be careful. You might rupture a blood vessel," Jade advised, his normally even voice teetering between that sick innocence and an amused tone. I took that to be my cue to stop making Peony laugh, but to no avail. The young emperor was doubled over in laughter.

"Oh man, you guys are too much," he managed, finally managing to calm himself down. For the most part. "Well, now that's over with, you," Peony nodded towards me, "come here. I have something to discuss with you away from my shadow over there." Jade scoffed mock indignantly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt her." Peony grinned. "Much." I followed Peony back to his personal quarters when I heard Jade call out after me.

"Don't die yet." Bastard. He's just trying to freak me out.

As soon as we were in Peony's room, which, after over a year of keeping my room completely spotless, looked to literally be a pig pen, I found myself wondering how he even slept in there. There was very little space for a person to sleep and, if I knew animal lovers, I knew Peony probably let at least two of them up on the bed with him, which left even less room for a person to live there.

"I hope you don't mind the mess," Peony said with a bit of a guilty grin, which made him far more attractive than I had given him credit for thus far. I was suddenly very aware of this fact and could tell my cheeks were heating up rapidly. Peony laughed and I knew my face was getting redder and redder by the second. Damn him, I could punch him if he weren't now at the top of my chain of command. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to seduce you or anything crazy like that." I really wanted to hit him. Badly. "I just have a request, as I mentioned earlier."

"Which is?" I asked, impatiently, almost too impatiently. Peony smiled, obviously not caring about my lack of manners.

"I want you to go with Jade," he answered simply. My jaw dropped. But wasn't Jade going to Kimlasca to deliver the letter? With Ion and Anise? What the heck? Wouldn't I just ruin the plot by coming along? I might end up making decisions that change what the team does. What if I accidentally lead them to their demise? I couldn't do that! I wasn't going to let that happen. No way.

"With all due respect, I can't do that," I replied, trying not to rush my answer. "I have absolutely no experience in combat and, as you can tell, I'm awkward at best in social situations." Peony's eyes lit up.

"Exactly why I'm sending you!" he exclaimed. Excuse me, what? "Jade needs someone to keep him company out there and someone like you would keep him on his toes." Ah. So, this was more for Peony's amusement than tactical benefit. So, my job would be to, essentially, babysit Jade and pick on him every once in a while? Not a bad job, I had to admit.

"So, I'm there to pick on him while you can't, right?" I asked, getting straight to the point. Peony nodded and I got the feeling I would need to figure out what sort of weapon suited me soon. After all, Jade and the others had a knack for getting into fights. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be so bad. Just," I paused, trying to figure out how to word it best, "don't blame me if something happens." Peony looked confused, but it would click after Akzeriuth. I knew he'd eventually piece together the fact that I knew exactly what was going on from the very beginning, but I could deal with that when the time came. For now, I would focus on not getting myself or anyone else killed.

"I wouldn't," he answered and I could tell he was telling the truth. "If anything, I would blame myself for sending you out there." He suddenly turned serious and looked straight into my eyes. "I'm sorry about this. I didn't mean to pull you into the army like that. I know you're probably confused about all of this, even if you don't show it."

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "I know a thing or two about military life." I had only lived like that for all of my short adult life.

"Well, that's about it, then," Peony said with a bit of a sigh, plopping down on his bed. "Thanks," he paused, realizing he didn't know my name and I giggled slightly.

"Elizabeth," I said, a far less serious smile than I had worn in ages working its way to my face. "And, Your Majesty?" Peony looked up at me, having rested his head in his palms just a few seconds earlier. "Don't worry about Jade. He'll be fine, no matter what happens." I left before Peony had a chance to say another word and met Jade outside the audience chamber.

The look on his face spoke volumes. He had been pacing when I came out and his brow was furrowed in deep thought. He was most likely going through scenarios in his head, debating internally on which was most likely to have happened in Peony's room.

"Looks like you're not getting rid of me any time soon," I said, acting as though I had been forced to tag along when I really didn't. "I've been tasked with keeping you company during the trip, as His Majesty so aptly put it." Jade sighed and I couldn't help but feel as though a little part of me was torn apart when he did. I knew I wasn't exactly the most fun person to be around, but did he have to be like that?

"I suppose I have no choice but to put up with you, then."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Meeting the Fon Master**

Before I could formulate some sort of witty response to what I knew was only half an insult, a couple soldiers approached us and informed Jade that the Tartarus was ready to depart and the Fon Master had not yet boarded. Jade dismissed them and then turned to me with a slightly sadistic grin on his face. I knew before he even opened his mouth what he had in store. Rather than explain to me what sort of person Anise was, he was going to send me in completely unarmed against her.

"Let me guess. You want me to get them and meet you there?" I asked coolly. Jade's grin widened, which I took to be a yes. "Ok, what room are they in? It might take me a while, but I'll eventually find them."

After receiving painfully vague directions from Jade, I commenced my search of Peony's manor. It was far larger than the game had ever hinted and I was starting to get tired of looking when I heard a rather timid voice behind me.

"Excuse me, would you happen to know where Colonel Curtiss is?" I spun around to find the most adorable face I had seen in a long time staring at me. Ion, in full Fon Master regalia, was standing right in front of me. "He said he would get us as soon as the Tartarus was prepared to leave, but that was well over three hours ago." I couldn't help but smile.

"What perfect timing! Colonel Curtiss just sent me to come find you and your guardian," I explained, much to Ion's relief. "Speaking of which, where is she?" Ion looked surprised and turned to see that Anise was, indeed, nowhere to be found.

"Huh? That's odd. She was right behind me a second ago," Ion answered thoughtfully. I sighed, not intending for it to sound as exasperated as it did. "It's not a problem, is it?" he asked worriedly.

"N-no, of course not!" I answered, feeling my cheeks redden. "Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Ion shook his head, looking increasingly concerned. "Well, let's see," I paused for a minute, trying to think of the best way to go about looking for Anise. Well, generally, one would hear Anise before they saw her. "Ok, do you remember the last place you saw her? We could probably ask around and see if any of the guards on watch saw her around."

"Last I had seen, she was right behind me," Ion said, appearing to be mentally retracing their steps. "That was just before I saw you." Well, I was right outside the audience chamber where I started and looked down the hall. There were several guards standing outside certain doors along the hallway, which ended with a spiral staircase. Oh boy. I remembered now. This building was like two of that weird shell place back in Final Fantasy VII. Which, to me, was basically a maze. Great. Just lovely.  
"Alrighty, wait here and I'll see if I can find her," I said, trying my best to sound as though I knew what I was doing. Without waiting for a response, I turned and started to head off in the direction Ion had come from. But as soon as I had started to leave, I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"If you don't mind, could I come with you?" Ion asked, blushing slightly. Oh, now how could anyone say no to a face like that?

"O-of course, Fon Master," I answered, stumbling over my words as I remembered that I had to stop making myself seem so familiar with these people I hadn't met before. There were still rules I had to follow, especially being a representative of not only Malkuth, but Jade. Though, I really didn't want to represent Jade all that well at the moment. Ion giggled.

"Please, you don't have to be so formal with me," he said, a gentle smile gracing his equally gentle features. Man, Ion, it is so difficult to tell you're a guy. You probably get it a lot and will get it even more once you meet Luke, but still. "It doesn't seem to suit you." I grinned sheepishly and nodded.

"Yeah, but you never know who's watching," I said, nodding toward the guards. "I just barely got here today and, to be honest, I don't think they'd take too kindly to the new girl being so informal with the head of the Order." Ion nodded. "But, when there's less people around, I promise to be more open with you, all right?" God, that kid had a cute smile. "Now, to find that guardian of yours."

I questioned each of the guards one after the other, all of whom mentioned seeing Anise, but, for whatever reason, disregarded her presence. I made a mental note to never entrust my life to soldiers on watch. If they couldn't even keep track of a small child on watch, I didn't want to put myself at risk. Finally, when I reached the end of the hallway, I heard a familiar high-pitched voice at the top of the stairs. Ion gasped, recognizing it as Anise and, as we hurried up the stairs, we could hear just what she was shouting about.

"Listen, buddy, if the Colonel finds out that you lost Ion, you're in big trouble!" Yeah. That was definitely Anise. "Just wait till he finds out about this!" I felt bad for the guard. Seriously, that would be the worst duty day ever. Getting yelled at by some higher-up, especially when that higher up was a child that you were not, under any circumstances, allowed to argue with, even when you knew she was wrong.

"Anise!" Ion exclaimed, ignoring Anise's earlier behavior. I couldn't help but grin at the two of them. Really, they were just too perfect for each other. "There you are!"

"Fon Master! I was so worried!" Anise cried, running to Ion's arms and embracing him tightly. "Don't scare me like that again!" Ion laughed, nodding.

"Sorry about that," I said, stepping up to the guard Anise had been yelling at. Much to my surprise, the guard saluted me. Well now. That's something. Apparently I'm an officer in the lovely world of the Malkuth army. Now that's something to write home about, if only I could. I smiled and returned the salute, turning my attention back to Ion and Anise.

Well, now that I had found the two of them, it was time to head out and meet Jade. Fortunately for me, finding the Tartarus wouldn't be hard. I had just happened to wake up by the pier after the incident with the river. And, if I recalled correctly, the Tartarus was able to travel by land and by sea. So, naturally, it would be moored to the pier. Yes! One point to me for remembering things about a game I hadn't played in years!

"Excuse me, but who exactly are you?" Anise asked, not bothering to hide the fact that she was fairly displeased that Jade hadn't come to meet them personally. So was I. But I'd be damned if I let her know that.

"I was sent by Colonel Curtiss to escort both of you to the ship," I explained. Anise pouted. I shared her frustration, realizing that the majority of this situation could have been avoided if he had simply given me a little more information. I made a mental note to mention it to him offhandedly when we finally met up with him again. Sure, he would just blow it off with some witty remark, but it would make me feel better.

"Ugh, the Colonel's such a jerk," Anise mumbled darkly. I had to agree with her, even if I didn't agree with the way she went about saying it. So, rather than encourage her by saying nothing, I decided to change the subject back to getting to the Tartarus. "Oh, yeah, that thing. Well, lead the way!" That was the hard part. I vaguely recalled how Jade had led me to the palace and how I had gotten from the main entrance hall to this particular room, but piecing it together was coming along more slowly than Luke trying to figure out fields of fonons.

However, I led the two down the stairs and to the entrance hall without much problem. It was probably easiest to just take it in small increments. That way I wouldn't over analyze, as I often tended to do. I had barely gotten halfway through the courtyard when I noticed it was oddly quiet behind me. Ion, I could understand being quiet since he was naturally a very soft spoken person, but Anise was nearly as noisy as a flock of parakeets and tended to bicker just as much.

Casually glancing over my shoulder, I noticed that Anise was whispering to Ion. Of course, I dismissed it as being about the letter and kept on walking. However, from that point on, I was careful to make sure the two of them were actually behind me. I didn't want to lose the both of them, especially once we got close to the pier. I may not have been a sailor for very long, but I do remember how sailors act and they were generally terrible representatives of their profession.

Ok, so I found the Tartarus easily enough. I mean, it's hard to miss a giant ship out by the pier. What eluded me, however, was where on earth Jade was. I scanned the oncoming and off going workers for his telltale smirk or even the odd fishtail thing that was a part of his uniform. Nothing. Well, crap. Now what? Just as I was about to go ask one of the people loading last minute items on the ship, I heard Anise squeal behind me.

"Oooooh, Colonel, there you are!" I spun around and saw Jade standing right behind us, the usual combination of amusement and surprise on his face. "I was starting to worry you wouldn't come since you sent someone else to come get us!" Dammit, Anise. Now I seemed even more incompetent.

"Nonsense," Jade dismissed with a slight wave of his hand. "I would never entrust your lives to someone so reckless."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: I'll show you reckless…**

Reckless? Oh, yeah, because I was obviously the one who had sent someone who had absolutely no idea where she was going to find the head of the planet's religion and bring him back to a ship she had never seen or been on in her life. I first thought to mention this to Jade but quickly remembered that there was never any winning against the infamous Necromancer. I had a feeling all of a sudden that the name had nothing to do with reviving corpses on the battlefield. People had called him that because he could easily win an argument with a dead man.

While I stood engrossed in thought, Jade and the others had already boarded the Tartarus, obviously not caring enough to see if I followed. Well, wasn't that sweet? So much for Jade the gentleman, I thought bitterly as I crossed the bridge and onto what appeared to be the quarterdeck. Soldiers standing watch in what appeared to be a watered down version of my uniform suddenly made me nostalgic for the world I had left behind and that had left me behind. An unwelcome grin crept across my face as I caught myself wondering if I had to salute and request permission to come aboard.

Indeed, the watches were very similar to those of a ship. What appeared to be the equivalent of the Petty Officer of the Watch saluted and I returned the salute. After being allowed to cross, I found myself being escorted to what looked like a small room. Evidently, Malkuth had thought personal quarters needed to be more spacious and the beds larger than that of a normal ship. I agreed wholeheartedly.

After taking off the over blouse of my new uniform, I leaned back and fell onto what I assumed to be my bed and closed my eyes. As usual, the words of my superior officer reverberated in my mind. Reckless. He had called me reckless. I'd never heard that one before. If anything, my chain of command called me "overly cautious" and said that I needed to listen to instinct when reason failed. Never was I called reckless. I laughed under my breath as I realized what my instinct was telling me right then and there.

If Jade Curtiss wanted to call me reckless, I would show him just how reckless I could be.  
But how exactly does one go from following clear-cut regulations to breaking every rule in the book? With another laugh, I opened my eyes and remembered that, if I didn't have the proverbial book that contained the rules, I would just have to use "common sense" and make it up as I went along. It went against everything I had learned from the moment I stepped off the bus at Recruit Training Command, but, at the same time, it was what would give me a little peace of mind.

So, the first thing I did was scuff up my boots. I had been given ones that had already been shined by a rather sleepy looking young soldier in the supply room and had, initially, been able to see my reflection in them. Now, all I could see was the leather of the boot, no wax, no shine. In other words, perfectly unsatisfactory. I then pulled the pant legs up and tucked them into the boots. Yeah, that was going to be just perfect. Now, to find something unsat to do.

If memory served correctly, section leaders hated when people would mess with their watchstanders. So, the first thing I did was go up to a young man who looked to be no younger than I and started asking him random questions about things he couldn't possibly know about. For example, how many levels there were in Pac Man or if he had ever defeated Nyx. After being shooed away by another young man who seemed to be there for turnover, I focused my attention on bigger fish. I was going to go mess with the radar.

The best place to start, as my instructors had told me in every lab, was at the screen that acted as an interface between the radar computer and the cabinets that created the signals sent out to detect targets. If I could look through that, I could figure out a way to give the technicians hell. Oh yeah. That definitely sounded reckless enough to me. I asked around and eventually made my way to the screen. However, what I hadn't remembered in time was that, normally, said screen was in front of the commanding officer.

I stood in the doorway, mouth halfway open, staring Jade in the face.

"Ah, there you are," he said, unaware of what he had just caught me attempting to do. Or, maybe he was. One never knew when it came to Jade. "I was just coming to find you. We're about to depart." I nodded mutely, fearing that if I spoke, my voice would betray my embarrassment. To my even greater humiliation, I realized this had not been the first time Jade had seemingly unknowingly halted my plans to undermine his intelligence. "You may want to find a place to sit down for the first couple hours or so. Perhaps it would be best if I briefed you somewhere private, say, your room?"

Oh, really, Jade? My room, huh? You're lucky I don't see you as the womanizing type, I thought as I conceded with a shrug and led the way back where my troublemaking started. As I rounded the corners and stepped down ladderwells, I heard whispers from various members of the crew, catching snippets of phrases such as, "jacked up boots" or "retarded pants." Cheeks flushed, I lowered my eyes, purposely ignoring the enlisted members who saluted me. Fortunately for me, the humiliation only lasted a few more minutes.

"Well, you seem to be creating quite a buzz with that fashion statement," Jade remarked, taking a seat at the small writing desk opposite my bed. I shrugged, trying to let his statement roll off my back like water off a duck's back, but it still stung. I knew I had done it to myself. I knew I had no one to blame but my own idiotic self. So, why did he have to rub it in? Oh, right. It's Jade.

Of course he had to shove all my faults right in my face. Suddenly I remembered something I had heard in the game. McGovern had told Luke that Jade wouldn't bother to scold people if he didn't care. Somehow, it seemed to me that was the same reason he was pointing out the flaws in my plan. Of course, I had been known to be wrong before.

"Well, you know, I was kinda stupid about something that, really, is unimportant in the grand scheme of things," I admitted. Jade smirked and I found myself dreading this brief. "So, what's this about?"

"Oh, I think you already know that," Jade answered, staring me straight in the eyes. Did I know what this was about? Well, of course I did. The letter to Kimlasca. "There are many things you seem to know without any reason why you should. So," Jade smiled, "that is what this is about. I want to know how you came to acquire knowledge of people you claim to have never met before or a country you've never visited."

See, here was the problem. Under normal circumstances, I would have come up with a lie, a very complex lie that would take even the greatest minds some time to unravel. But, as I looked into Jade's eyes, I saw only interest. A genuine concern about how it happened. Not anger that I knew things I shouldn't, just intrigue. But, at the same time, there was that constant hesitation. The "I dare not" that kept me from just opening my mouth and telling him exactly how things were.

I could tell from the look in Jade's eyes that he was getting impatient with me. Well, I could hardly blame him, but I was having a serious internal debate, so he would just have to hold his proverbial horses and wait for me to come to a decision that I wouldn't regret later. I knew what the right decision was. I knew that the truth would have to come out sooner or later. The question was, really, do I want to make a fool of myself trying to explain what had happened and how I had come into this situation?

"Just so you know, you aren't going to believe me when I tell you this the first time," I started with a sigh. "And, you probably won't want to talk to me for a while, either." Jade looked far more intrigued than I had seen him in a long time. In fact, it was the same look I had seen when I first saw him. I couldn't help but smile at that and began to explain what had happened back in my world. I skipped around the bit that, in my world, their lives were a plot put together to amuse teenagers and young adults, knowing that there would be questions about that sooner or later. I got to the part where I fell into the river and woke up in Grand Chokmah, then stopped.

"And that's when I found you," Jade finished for me. I nodded. He didn't say a word, merely rose and made his way to the window. "I must admit," he said after what felt like an eternity, "your story seems impossible. Even with the knowledge I've amassed over the years, it still sounds unlikely that such a thing is even possible." I nodded, knowing full well he couldn't see.

"And you wonder why I hesitated to tell you the truth," I muttered. Jade laughed under his breath, having evidently heard me.

"Any sane person would have," he agreed. Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Are you implying that I'm actually sane? That this isn't some weird dream I'm having while in a coma?"

"Well, if this were a dream, that would make me a fictional character, no?" I laughed. He had no idea just how ironic that statement truly was.

"All right, you got me there," I conceded. There was no way this world was a dream. It was way to realistic to be a dream, including the pain I had felt when my head had started to hurt.

"The thing that intrigues me the most, however, is that you claim to be from a world where fonons do not exist," Jade mused. "Yet you knew of them before even arriving. And who I was. In fact," he said, turning to face me finally, "what you've just told me makes even less sense than when we began this conversation." I sighed. Yeah, I had definitely seen this one coming.

"This is the part that I really had hoped you would ignore," I admitted, not wanting to tell him that, in my world he was a fictional character. And that I knew exactly what was going to happen. But, I was going to be honest. That meant no secrets. And, if anyone in this world was going to understand why what I knew had to be kept secret, it was Jade. "See, where I'm from, all of this has already happened," I paused, trying to find an easy way to put it. "In a work of fiction, everything that will happen from here on out has already played itself out. I know these things about people and places I've never seen because I have seen them in that story."

"Myself and the emperor as well?" Jade asked after a long period of thought. I nodded.

"Including all that has happened in the past between you," I paused, hoping I wasn't crossing the line, "and Saphir, more commonly known as Dist now." Jade nodded, as though it didn't affect him as much as I thought it would, no doubt his own way of hiding just how much it stung to hear that someone knew what had happened back then.

Some time passed and all I could do was sit and stare at the boots I had ruined out of spite. I would have to shine them later. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to take my mind off how things had happened to shift so drastically.

"It stands to reason, then, that while the past cannot be changed, the future that you had seen in your world can still change, correct?" Jade asked. Could it? I wasn't so sure, but I nodded. "Then, I suppose the only thing I can ask of you is to keep your oath." Right. What I had told Peony.

_To defend those who cannot defend themselves without discrimination._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Scattered wings to Engeve**

There is only so long a person can shine boots before it gets monotonous. I caught myself singing familiar tunes, keeping myself busy and from thinking of what I had just told Jade. It seemed, if anything, I would be the one needing defending. How the hell was I supposed to defend Akzeriuth? I had no idea where the entrance to the Sephiroth would be!

Just then, a loud screeching noise drew me from my thoughts. It sounded like an alarm! Stumbling over myself to put my boots on, I hopped over to the doorway and saw red flashing lights. Battle stations. Well, crap. I had no idea where I was supposed to be or anything like that, but staying in my room and hoping for the best was definitely not an option.

As I hobbled down the halls to meet Jade at the bridge, it occurred to me that the normal feeling of passing over the waves was gone. We were on land? But, if we were on land, did that mean we were already chasing after the Dark Wings? I forced myself to hobble faster, hoping that Jade would have some sort of answer for me.

Upon reaching the bridge, I found that my question had been answered for me. Ahead was the carriage that I knew to be holding Luke and Tear. I winced as the carriage took a sharp turn and almost rolled over. No doubt Luke was bitching about that.

"The Dark Wings?" I asked Jade quietly, making sure the only ones who heard me were Jade and the person at the main radar screen. For one brief moment, I saw surprise cross his face. But, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone and Jade nodded.

"We'd been tracking them for a little over an hour and just barely received permission from the nearest base to attempt to apprehend them."

"And the carriage ahead of them?" I asked, admittedly concerned more for Tear than Luke at the moment. Pre-Akzeriuth Luke had been a royal pain in the ass.

"Possibly endangered in the process, but highly unlikely," Jade answered and he toned his voice down considerably. "Is there someone important in that carriage?" I nodded and considered explaining to him. But I quickly decided against it. He didn't need to know that Luke was there. Just that they should be careful and not injure the people in the carriage.

"Colonel, they're headed for Rotelro Bridge! What do you want us to do?" Jade looked down at the soldier on watch, back at me, and then out the main window.

"Alert the carriage of our intentions and continue pursuit of the Dark Wings," Jade commanded coolly. "Try to cut them off if you can." The soldier at the console nodded and began passing instructions down to various other watches. Part of me wished I knew how the Tartarus operated just to be able to stand those watches.

Before I could delve too deep into my thoughts, the Tartarus shook violently and, impulsively, I grabbed the person closest to me to keep from falling. What the hell was that? Some sort of explosion? Whatever it was, I was grateful that the person I had latched onto hadn't fallen with me. Then it occurred to me. Just who had I grabbed? I had a funny feeling I really didn't want to know, but I looked up all the same. A pair of spectacled crimson eyes looked down at me somewhat amusedly. Dammit. I should've known.

"Comfortable?" Jade asked after what felt like forever had passed. I could feel my cheeks redden and I immediately let go.

"Of course not," I answered, stuttering slightly. I knew it didn't help things at all, but it was really too late to care. Not to mention the fact that my heart was pounding in my ears and I could barely hear what was going on around me. The smirk on Jade's face told me he could tell just how flustered I was and was enjoying every second of it. Sadistic bastard.

"Sir, they've knocked out Rotelro Bridge," reported the soldier in front of us. Instantly, Jade turned serious and seemed to contemplate the situation. Of course, the Tartarus could still go after the Dark Wings and it would be on the way to Kimlasca, but there seemed to be something else on his mind. I knew it was about the carriage. It occurred to me that he wouldn't even be thinking about it if I hadn't spoken up, but I immediately dismissed the idea. I'd just have to wait and see what Jade decided and go from there.

Just then, what sounded like a phone ringing came from one of the main consoles to the left. The soldier on watch answered and spoke with someone on the line for some time before pressing a button and hanging up.

"Sir, it's the Engeve base," the soldier reported. "They're requesting aid. It sounded urgent, sir." Jade nodded and turned to the soldier in front of us.

"Abandon pursuit of the Dark Wings and set a course for Engeve," Jade told him. So, it had nothing to do with the carriage after all. Jade was waiting to see what would happen. I had to admit, for being a sadistic pain in the rear, Jade was by far one of the most intelligent people I'd met in my entire life. If he didn't seem be bent on picking on me at every turn, he would actually be an interesting person to talk to.

At that, Jade turned and motioned for me to follow. I had a funny feeling I was about to get messed with some more. He led me through what felt like a thousand passageways and stairwells before stopping. I could hear what sounded like Anise complaining and Jade stood outside the door with a bit of a smile creeping across his face. I suppressed a giggle as I realized what was going on. Anise was no doubt complaining about the explosion and Jade was listening for the right time to come up with a witty remark upon entering the room.

"Man, what the heck is going on out there?" Anise whined. "The whole ship was shaking! Oh man, this is bad! What if we're under attack?" Nothing yet. Nothing that I could see, anyway.

"I'm sure there's a good reason for it Anise," Ion attempted to reason with her but Anise didn't seem too convinced. "Besides, if it were anything serious, I'm sure Jade would come to let us know." This met some rather nasty grumbling from Anise.

"Yeah, that good-for-nothing Colonel couldn't even be bothered to see us to our room," Anise muttered darkly. I was beginning to wonder how I could hear her through the door when Jade turned the knob and entered the room with a smile I recognized as a lethal weapon.

"What was that, Anise?" Jade asked coolly. I had to avert my eyes to avoid falling into a giggling fit at the look on Anise's face. Now I understood why Jade enjoyed tormenting people so much. Even if it really sucked to be the one being tormented.

"Nothing!" she stuttered, attempting in vain to sound innocent. Jade smiled and, for a second, I thought he was going to pursue the conversation, but I quickly remembered why we had come over.

"Ah, well, it must have been my imagination," Jade replied resignedly. "Such things come with old age, I suppose." Yeah, right. If Jade was old, I was middle-aged. "I'm afraid there is a small detour to make before we reach Kimlasca." I could see from their reactions that this news wasn't at all surprising.

"It's Engeve, isn't it?" Ion asked concernedly. Jade nodded and I somehow got the feeling the problem with the cheagles had been going on a lot longer than the game let on. "This is bad. If things continue like this, they won't survive through the winter." Winter? As in, snow and nothing growing anymore? Engeve actually had rough winters? Jade nodded.

"The Score, if I recall correctly, did predict a rather harsh winter for Engeve this year," he agreed. "Not only are the lives of the citizens at risk, but all the neighboring communities that rely on their produce." Wow. I had no idea just how much the world really relied on Engeve. I knew that the best ingredients in Auldrant came from there, but lives depended on them? As soon as the question passed through my mind, I realized just how childish it was to ask in the first place. Of course lives relied on Engeve. It was a source of income for neighboring communities as well as food. Travelling merchants no doubt gathered food from Engeve to sell back in their villages.

"So, we're going in to help them, right?" Anise spoke up. You know, the whole time I had known her, she seemed to be a bit selfish, but, I had to admit, when it came down to what was truly important, she cared. A lot.

"Of course!" I spoke up, eliciting something resembling shock from Jade. Evidently, he didn't think I would actually jump into this conversation. Well, he thought wrong, didn't he?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Petty thief

Turned out, I should have kept my mouth shut. Because I went and "volunteered our services" without my commanding officer's consent, I would be the one to lead the discussions regarding Engeve's food stores. Knowing Jade, it was no doubt to stick me in an uncomfortable situation. Little did he know, I was actually quite comfortable talking with people when the topic wasn't myself.

Upon our immediate arrival, Jade dismissed himself, claiming to have personal matters to attend to, leaving me with Anise and Ion. It wouldn't have been so bad if Anise didn't grumble about how Jade really didn't seem to care about her well-being at all. I almost thought to point out to her that he probably didn't, but knew that wouldn't help matters at all and kept my mouth shut. I opted, instead, to take in my surroundings.

Immediately, I decided that the artists could never do a town like Engeve justice. The place seemed to be the definition of lively. Children bolted across the street in what looked like a variation of tag and old women sat in the shade selling fresh fruits and vegetables. I noted that the air was so crisp that the butcher actually had his meat hanging outside. Part of me wondered if it was sanitary to have so much meat exposed to the elements, but thought it better not to ask. A place like Engeve shouldn't have its magic stolen by pointless questions.

Just then, Anise's whining drew me from my thoughts. Right. I was supposed to be looking for a local figurehead, preferably the mayor. But I had no idea where to look. If I remembered, Rose, the mayor, lived in a somewhat small house on the other side of the creek. There was a small arched bridge you could cross to get to the inn and right across from the inn was Rose's house.

After crossing the bridge and passing the inn, I heard a loud shout followed by a rather familiar whiny voice to my left. Oh boy. Luke was just learning about how shopping worked. Somehow, I don't think it was really Luke's fault he was so sheltered, but it still eluded me how he could possibly not know you had to pay for stuff. Wasn't that considered common sense?

With a sigh, I continued on to Rose's house and knocked on the door. Somehow, when I saw Rose, I realized just how real this world was. She reminded me of my mother, strong but friendly and obviously a listener. I couldn't help but smile with relief.

"Excuse me, Rose?" I began, once again, choosing my words carefully. I had to admit, knowing things before they happened really put pressure on a person. "I was sent here by my commanding officer, Colonel Curtiss, to aid in the investigation regarding the recent thefts." Rose smiled warmly and opened the door wider.

"There's no need to be so formal, dear," she said, shutting the door behind me. Wait. Behind me? I spun around and saw that Ion and Anise were gone. "And your Colonel is already here." I turned around yet again and found myself facing a rather displeased looking Jade.

"If I may, could I have a word with my subordinate in private?" Jade asked, the danger in his tone masked perfectly. Rose nodded and left without a word. I guess she picked up on Jade's mood as well as I had. Which, of course, meant that Jade was free to humiliate me as much as he saw fit. Well, I for one didn't really feel like being picked on again.

"Look, if you're about to scold me for losing track of Ion, don't bother," I started, definitely not in the mood to play his mind games. "I know I screwed up. You don't have to tell me." Jade's expression shifted to something that resembled an aloof grin, leaving me beyond confused. He wasn't angry and didn't seem to want to pick on me. At least, not to the extent I had imagined. So, what was going on?

"Really, what makes you think I was going to bother with scolding you?" Jade asked amusedly. "I merely wished to inquire about your fighting ability." Crap. I knew that one was coming. I couldn't tag along with Jade and the others without some means of fighting off monsters and the God Generals. But still! I was pretty much useless when it came to fighting. "Judging from the way you're looking at me, I take it you have little to no experience with a weapon. Very well."

Jade stood and walked calmly to a corner of the room, grabbing what looked like an elongated spear and turning to me. "I don't know if it will suit you, but generally beginners favor this type of weapon." Beginner, huh? Well, that was definitely me. After examining it more closely, I realized it looked more like a naginata than a spear. The blade was curved and longer than a normal spear.

"Huh," I gripped the hilt loosely and checked the weight. It didn't seem very heavy and I would be using both arms to use it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe I would actually be able to hold my own in a fight.

"You're welcome," Jade said smugly. If I didn't know it was for his sake as well as mine, I would have looked for some snide remark. I turned to him, lowering the naginata, and smiled.

"Thank you," I replied, eliciting something resembling genuine surprise from the Colonel. "I was wondering what I would do if I ever had to defend myself. At least I'm one step closer now." I could tell this wasn't something he was used to, the whole being genuinely thankful thing. I grinned realizing just how much he would probably appreciate it once we met up with Luke, which, really, ought to be any minute now.

As if to interrupt my thoughts, there came a knock at the door and a somewhat confused-looking Rose came out and opened the door. Ah, there he was. My favorite spoiled rich kid. And, boy, could he pitch a fit. I almost felt bad for the guys who had dragged him in. Almost.

"I'm not your damn thief!" Luke shouted. Jade looked over at him and smirked over the tea I hadn't noticed until now. Well, just goes to show how much attention to detail I had lost since coming here.

"What is going on here?" Rose demanded, obviously not pleased to have so much noise coming into her house at once. I silently agreed, focusing on Luke, hoping he didn't do anything different than he had in the game. The men who dragged him in explained that he had tried to steal an apple and must therefore be a part of the Dark Wings and the one who was stealing all their food. I had to turn away from them to hide my laughter. Really, now, since when did that even make sense?

"I keep telling you!" Luke exclaimed, struggling to break the villagers' grip and, after a couple tries, succeeding. "I'm no thief!" Jade looked to me for some sort of sign and I nodded. Luke wasn't the thief. "Do I _look_ like I'm going hungry to you!" Rose chuckled.

"Such a lively boy!" she exclaimed and I could see her almost as the mother Luke ought to have had. No offense to Suzanne, but she _did_ spoil Luke too much. "Now, let's all calm down and figure this out." Jade turned to Luke and I recognized the look on his face. Amused by Luke's behavior yet serious.

"Yes, please do," Jade stepped in. Finally, things were progressing. A well-placed reassuring smile was sent to Rose and Jade turned his attention to Luke.

"Who the hell are you?" Luke demanded. Tear looked as though she had wanted to ask the same thing, but wouldn't dare word it the way Luke just had. Jade smirked.

"Colonel Jade Curtiss, Third Division, Malkuth Imperial Forces," Jade introduced himself and turned to me. "This is my subordinate, Lieutenant Elizabeth Blake." I smiled to Tear, then Luke. "And who might you be?"

"Luke fon-" Luke started, but was quickly caught by Tear, who was no doubt telling him to keep his family name a secret. Intrigued, Jade turned his focus from Luke to Tear, catching on to the fact that Tear was, essentially, the leader of the two.

"Is something wrong?" Jade asked, no doubt hoping they would slip up again and reveal yet another vital clue to their identity. Tear, however, was as calm and collected as ever.

"My apologies, Colonel," she started, taking over the conversation. "He's Luke and I'm Tear. We were headed for Chesedonia but we boarded the wrong carriage and ended up here."

"Oh? So you're with this man suspected of being with the Dark Wings?" Jade asked and I knew this was my chance to step in.

"Colonel, I think they were the ones in that carriage in front of the Dark Wings when we were pursuing them," I interjected. Tear nodded and I gave her a reassuring smile. Rose, however, seemed genuinely confused.

"What is all this about, Colonel?" she asked, her gaze shifting from Luke to Tear to myself and back to Jade.

"Exactly what the Lieutenant said," Jade explained. "We were pursuing a group thought to be the Dark Wings into Kimlasca when they destroyed half of Rotelro Bridge." I nodded. "I can assure you, they aren't with the Dark Wings."

"They don't appear to be mere food thieves, either," spoke up a gentle voice I immediately recognized as Ion's. I spun around and I could swear my heart skipped a beat. Immediately, I rushed over to make sure he was all right. I knew he would be, but it didn't stop me.

"Fon Master, you're all right!" I exclaimed, forgetting myself and embracing him tightly. "I was so worried when you disappeared!" Ion smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry I left without telling you, but I wanted to investigate the storehouse on my own," he explained, reaching into his pocket. "Look!" I looked down and in Ion's hand was a small tuft of fur.

"Cheagle fur?" I asked, looking closer. Ion nodded. "If that's the case, then could it be that the cheagles are the ones taking the food?"

"See? I told you I'm not a thief!" Luke shot at the man next to him who scratched his head nervously.

"You _did_ eat that apple without paying, though," Tear shot back at Luke. "You need to think before you act, Luke."

"Hey, I didn't know I had to pay for it!" Luke shouted back at her, obviously not caring who heard them bicker. Jade looked somewhat amused and I could swear the smirk on his face was exactly the same as when Peony assumed Jade and I were a couple. Rose, on the other hand, turned to the group that had brought Luke in.

"Well, boys, I think you have something to say to this young man," she started and the men shared some guilty looks. The one who had dragged Luke in stepped forward.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking down at the ground somewhat nervously. "With all the burglaries lately, I guess I just wanted to have someone to pin it on." Luke looked on as the others murmured their agreement and I could swear I almost saw an understanding between them.

"Yeah, whatever," Luke said and I wanted to take back that thought. He was, after all, still the spoiled rich kid who just wanted to go back home.

"Well, now that's all cleared up," Rose started, "why don't you all head home? I have business with the Colonel." As the others filed out, I turned to Jade and looked at him curiously. There was more to the stop in Engeve than simply the cheagles?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: A blade isn't a toy

I really should have been used to this kind of thing. As it were, Rose's business with Jade turned out to be little more than finding out just how the Emperor had reacted to the latest produce. Apparently, Engeve was starting to grow peaches and Peony had wanted to be the one of the first to try them. I found myself struggling to keep myself from yawning. Now that I thought about it, this had been one hell of a long day. I hadn't slept at all since I had arrived in Grand Chokmah.

Ever observant, Jade began to notice the subtle changes in my demeanor and excused the two of us, telling Rose he would come back in the morning to speak with her before we departed for Baticul. He, Ion, and I made our way to the inn and, after a little while, found that sleeping arrangements were going to be a bit uncomfortable since the inn only had a few rooms, two of which were occupied at the moment.

The four of us would be sharing a room.

That's when I started to panic. Sure, Anise was going to be there, but that didn't make it any less awkward. Even if I had been used to being "one of the guys" back home, sharing a room with two men and a child was not something I had wanted to do.

But Ion really didn't count, I reasoned. I mean, he's too innocent to think of women and sharing a room with one the way most men would. Jade, on the other hand, was a grown man and I really would not put it past him to make some sort of advance, even as a joke. Especially as a joke.

As we settled in, I began to put together a plan. Ion was going to sneak out early in the morning, right? Well, I would follow him. Besides, I needed to get used to fighting. After all, the more experience I get with this thing early on, the better it will be when I go up against Van. I wasn't sure if I would be around Auldrant long enough to actually see that fight, but I didn't want to run the risk of getting myself killed. Even if this were a dream while I was in a coma, I've heard of people dying in real life if they died in their dream. Definitely didn't want to take that risk.

Removing the outer blouse of my uniform and my boots, I finally allowed myself to collapse on the bed and close my eyes. I'm assuming I fell asleep because, when I opened my eyes again, the room was perfectly dark and everyone was asleep except Jade, who stood by the window, gazing out the window at the sleeping town. I was about to roll over and go back to sleep when something caught my eye.

Ion was gone. His bed was messed up, as if he had slept in it for a while and then woken up suddenly. I bolted up and out of bed to take a closer look when I noticed that the sun was just barely rising. Ion was most likely already halfway to the Cheagle Woods. With a sigh, I made my way next to Jade and stared out at the sunrise. I'd have to get going shortly if I wanted to catch up with Ion. But it wasn't that simple. I had to explain myself.

"I know where he went," I said after a sufficient moment of silence had passed. Jade nodded, as though he had already figured I would. "I was going to follow him earlier." A yawn escaped. "Guess I overslept." Another nod. "Well, I'll be going, then. Gotta catch up with him and the other two."

"The two from yesterday?" Jade asked. I nodded and he turned back to the window, obviously deep in thought. After a while, I decided to slip out of the room but, as soon as I got to the door, Jade spoke again. "Where are you going?"

"Why, you gonna follow me?" I asked tauntingly. Jade laughed and I flashed a quick grin. "Cheagle Woods. Ion went to see why the cheagles were stealing the food," I explained and Jade nodded knowingly. "Oh, and, just so you know, we may have to make a detour to fight a liger before we can come back." Jade raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. We both knew I had already said enough. And I was going to have a tough time getting out to the woods before Ion got hurt if I didn't leave soon. Even if my stomach was growling.

As I stepped out, the early morning hustle and bustle took me by surprise. I was used to sleepy mornings on base, where all the people who were going to school or work were still getting dressed while I walked. Here, even children were up and wide awake, helping to cart vegetables out for sale or putting up tents that had been taken down for the night. It was the epitome of a rural town.

With a yawn, I headed down the road that led out of Engeve and toward the Cheagle woods. I wanted to stop and get something to eat, but quickly remembered that I had no money and couldn't resort to stealing. First, it wasn't in my nature to take what wasn't mine. Second, I was in uniform and wasn't going to spit on the kindness Peony had done me by disgracing his military. I was smarter than that and would find another way to fill my stomach.

No sooner had I left Engeve did I run into a pair of monsters. Well, I didn't really run into them. It was more like they shot me in the back of the head with what felt like small rocks. Dropping my bag, I spun around, naginata pointed up, thinking it was something up in the air. Instead, however, the monsters were small, leafy creatures that reminded me of Hoppip from Pokemon.

I had very little time to think, however, as one spat another rock at my face. I managed to duck in time, but they kept at it. Well, here goes nothing, I thought, gripping the naginata tightly and lunging toward the nearest of the two monsters. With a somewhat sluggish swing, I drove the blade down, narrowly missing the leafy beast. It stumbled backward, obviously thrown off by my aggression. Before it could recover, however, I lunged at it again, this time zoning in on the one monster.

As I brought the blade down, I felt something sharp hit my face and drew back in pain. The other monster had chucked a rock at my face, leaving a small gash under my eye. I touched my cheek and was shocked at just how much blood was seeping out of the cut. I never really freaked out over blood until then. Clutching my naginata tightly, I swung wildly at the monsters, not caring if I missed so long as I kept going, despite the rocks that constantly bombarded my body. Just then, I heard a familiar shout from behind me and spun around.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you _want_ to get yourself killed out here?" Luke barked, jumping between me and the tiny monster. With one clean slice, he halved the cabbage-like creature and spun around to take down the other. Before he could, however, Tear threw several small daggers at it, eliciting a small shriek before the beast sunk down into the ground.

"That appears to be all of them," Tear mused, surveying the surrounding area carefully. With a sigh, I gripped the hilt of the naginata tightly and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. Before I could so much as relax, Luke stormed up to me and started shouting again.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he yelled, leaning in close to my face. I could see the anger burning in his bright emerald eyes and immediately felt guilty. "You could've died! Don't you get that?" I sighed once more and nodded. "Wait a minute. You're that chick who was hanging out at the mayor's house. What're you doing all the way out here?" Tear looked me over once and gasped.

"Luke, mind your manners. This woman works with Colonel Curtiss, remember?" Tear nudged Luke in the ribs as if to tell him to watch what he said around me. I assumed that meant, essentially, not to tell me that he was the king's nephew or about the hyperresonance that sent them flying into Tataroo Valley. In other words, not to tell me things I already knew.

"Eh, don't worry about it," I said, finally able to manage a somewhat sheepish grin. "I only recently made rank in the army, so all this formality is still really uncomfortable. And, please, just call me Liz. Anything else feels awkward." Tear looked torn, as though the military bearing that had been engraved in her mind since childhood was waging a war with the desire to have someone to talk to frankly, aside from Luke, that is. Knowing Tear as I did from the game, I could see which side was going to win.

"You still haven't answered my question," Luke said before Tear could respond, tapping his foot impatiently. "Why the hell are you wandering around out here? Especially if you're just going to be swinging that thing around like a toy." I sighed, not sure what I should tell them. To say that I'm chasing after the Fon Master could cause problems later, but I couldn't think of anything else.

"When the Colonel and I woke up this morning, the Fon Master was missing," I explained, much to Tear's surprise. Luke, however, didn't seem all that impressed. "After what happened yesterday, I assumed he was going after the cheagles to try to find out why they were stealing food from Engeve." Tear nodded but Luke just seemed confused.

"Wait. So, you're telling me that this guy just disappeared on you? Isn't it your job to keep him safe?" Luke interrogated me. I sighed and shook my head. It was going to take a lot of patience to deal with him. Especially because it was at least a month until we got to Akzeriuth. Or, so I assumed.

"Yes and no," I answered. "Technically, making sure the Fon Master is safe is the duty of the Fon Master Guardians, but, by the time I woke up, she was already gone."

"What do you think happened to the Fon Master's guardian?" Tear asked worriedly. I shrugged.

"Who knows? Honestly, I'm more worried about the Fon Master than Anise," I answered truthfully. Ever impatient, Luke began tapping his foot hurriedly.

"Can we get going now?" he whined. "I don't want to spend all day out here. I still have to get back home!" Though I could tell her patience was wearing thin, Tear turned to Luke and nodded.

"I don't want to spend too much time here, either," she agreed, leading the way down the path that undoubtedly led to the Cheagle Woods. Luke followed after her, continuing to whine about how people had blamed him for what the cheagles had done. Laughing to myself, I picked up the naginata and jogged to catch up with them.

"Huh? What do you think you're doing?" Luke asked suspiciously. With a laugh under my breath, I turned to him.

"Tagging along, of course."


End file.
